Transfer platform for drill pipe elevators



July 30, 1963 B. F. KELLEY TRANSFER PLATFORM FOR DRILL PIPE ELEVATORS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1961 rIIHHlII l 41 II 9 r e. E flm N em m %m w 0 m 0 L .F A .W AK W @l 4 .J, j $51 2m M a m y 30, 1963 B. F. KELLEY 3,099,323

TRANSFER PLATFORM FOR DRILL PIPE ELEVATORS Filed Aug. 2, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 B /7 f. /Ke //e 600/777 INVENTOR y 0, 1963 B. F. KELLEY 3,099,323

TRANSFER PLATFORM FOR DRILL PIPE ELEVATORS Filed Aug. 2, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,099,323 TRANSFER PLATFORM FOR DRILL PIPE ELEVATORS Benjamin F. Kell y, Ben F. Kelley Co., Inc., 18 S. Madison, Tulsa, Okla. Filed Aug. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 128,712 9 Claims. (Cl. 175-85) This invention relates to pipe handling devices and more particularly to a transfer platform for moving drill pipe elevators to and from the wellhead.

In drilling of oil and gas wells by the rotary method the drill pipe string will, of course, increase in length as the well gets deeper. When great depths are attained, the correspondingly long pipe strings form very heavy loads which must be handled in running the drill string in and out of the well as is required at frequent intervals during the drilling. To avoid the collapsing or crushing action of the conventional gripping-type of slips for supporting the pipe strings during the addition or removal of sections to and from the string, present practices employ collar-type elevators which support the pipe by engagement of the annular shoulders defined by the ends of the pipe collars on 'a supporting shoulder formed by the upper end of the elevator. In this type :of pipe handling arrangement two elevators are conventionally employed to alternately support the pipe string. In running pipe into the well, one elevator is attached to a section of the drill pipe to be added while a second elevator is in position on the rotary table supporting the portion of the pipe string which is in the well. When the new section of pipe is connected to the top of the string in the well, the second elevator carrying the added pipe section is employed to support the entire pipe string while the first elevator on the rotary table is removed and secured to a new section of drill pipe. Oontemporaneously, the drill pipe string including the newly added drill pipe section will be lowered into the well for a distance corresponding to the length of the newly added section or until the second elevator is brought to a stop on top of the rotary table. This operation is then repeated until the entire string is run into the well. A reverse sequence of operations is employed in removing the pipe string, the two elevators being successively employed to support the main string of pipe from the rotary table as the sections are removed from the pipe string as it is withdrawn from the well.

The present invention has for its principal object the provision of a novel form of transfer platform for moving the elevators to and from the rotary table positions at high speed and with maximum efliciency and safety.

An important object is the provision of an elevator transfer platform which is pressure fluid operated for purposes of effecting the desired movements of the elevators relative to the wellhead.

A more specific object is the provision of an elevator transfer table which is movable both horizontally and vertically in eifecting the desired transfer movements of the elevators relative to the rotary table.

Other and more specific objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one useful embodiment in accordance with invention.

In the drawing:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the positions of the transfer device relative to the rotary table and the elevators at several stages of the operation of the device;

FIG. 4 is a side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the transfer device, the transfer table being illustrated in a position immediately preparatory to engaging an elevator;

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FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the rear end of the transfer device; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the device.

Referring first to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the transfer platform device includes a base member F comprising a pair of spaced-apart tarallel side frame members 10'-10 interconnected at their rearward ends by a cross member -11. The forward ends of side frame members 1010 are connected to vertically disposed bolt flanges 1212 of generally rectangular shape forming brackets by which the frame may be rem-ovably secured to the side of a base 13 of a conventional rotary table R. Angle braces 14-14 extend upwardly from frame members 10--10 to flanges 12--12.

Rotary table R, which does not form a part of this invention, may be of any generally well-known form which includes the usual square master bushing M having the tapered bowl B in the center thereof for reception of a tapered pipe bushing P having an upwardly projecting neck N, the upper end of which forms a flat base for seating thereon of the pipe elevator E. The latter may be .of any conventional design well-known in the industry, having a hinged gate G which may be opened to permit its disposal about, or removal from, drill pipe D, the latter being constructed of sections coupled together by means of conventional threaded collars C. The lower end of each collar C forms an annular shoulder S which is adapt ed to seat on the upper end face A of the elevator which thus serves to support the load of .the drill pipe string when the elevator is in position beneath shoulder S. Elevator E is also provided with oppositely projecting lugs or cars K which are receivable in the ends of a pair of conventional elevator links L by means of which the elevators are supported from the usual derrick hoisting mechanism (not shown). The lower end of elevator E carries a rearwardly projecting flange J (gate G being considered as the forward portion of the elevator). Flange J is provided with a pair of laterally spaced guide openings 0, .the purpose of which will be explained more fully hereinafter;

A pair of laterally spaced upright cylindrical posts 1515 are mounted at the rearward end of frame F and serve as guides for a pair of lift sleeves 1616 which are slidably mounted over posts 15 and secured together by means of a cross-head '17. The upper ends of lift sleeves '16 are provided with split clamps 1919 which are adapted to receive and to be tightly clamped by means of bolts 20 about intermediate portions of a pair of horizlontally disposed, spaced parallel guide bars 2121 which define an upper table guide frame U. A horizontally disposed transfer table member 22 is mounted for sliding movement on the forward portions of guide bars 2121 and has a bifurcated forward end portion defining the spaced iarms 2323 which enclose a slot 23a adapted to receive neck N of the pipe bushing when the table is moved forwardly beneath elevator E and above the top of the rotary table. A pair of tubular journal sleeves 2424 are secured to the opposite side edges of table member 22 rearwardly of arms 2323 and are adapted to slidably receive the forward end portions of guide bars 21-21 so that table member 22 may slide horizontally along the guide bars. A pair of anchor pins 60-60 project upwardly from table member 22 just back of slot 23a. The anchor pins are spaced to register with guide openings 0. A locator .or guide flange 61 is mounted on .top of table 22 behind anchor pins 6060 to be engaged by the rearward edge of flange J in order to :guide the latter into position at which openings 0 will register with pins 60.

Power-operated means for reciprocating table member 22 is mounted on guide frame U and comprises a cylinder 25 mounted horizontally between the guide bars, genermly parallel thereto, the forward end of the cylinder being supported by a cross-brace 26 extending between clamps 19w and the rearward end of the cylinder being secured, by means of a bolted connection 27, to a rear crossbrace 28 extending between the rearward end portions of guide bars 2l2l and secured thereto by means of the split clamps 2929. A tie bar 30 extends across frame U just behind crossbrace 26 and has its ends secured to guide bars 2121 by means of the split clamps 3l31 to additionally stiffen the table frame.

The forward and rearward ends :of cylinder 25 are closed by means of the cylinder heads 32 and 33, respectively. A piston 34 (FIG. 4) is slidably mounted in the bore of cylinder 25 and is secured to one end of a piston rod 35 which projects from the forward end of cylinder 25 through a suitable stufiing box 36 in forward cylinder head 32. The forward end of piston rod 35 is suitably secured to an upstanding lug 37 mounted on the rearward end of table 22. Passageways 38 and 39 are provided in cylinder heads 32 and 33, respectively, for pressure fluid communication between the portions of cylinder 25 on opposite sides of piston 34 and pressure fluid conduits 4t) and 41, respectively. It will be readily understood that the introduction of pressure fluid, hydraulic or pneumatic, through conduit 46} and passageway 38, while exhausting through passageway 39 and conduit 41, piston 34 and piston rod 35 will be moved rearwardly, thereby retracting table member 22. Reversal of pressure fluid flow through the connections will operate to advance table member 22.

Power-operated means is also provided on the structure for raising and lowering the transfer table. This means comp-rises i8. vertically disposed pressure cylinder 45 mounted on cross member 11 between lift sleeves 16. The upper and lower ends of cylinder 45 are closed by upper and lower cylinder heads 46 and 47, respectively. A piston 48 is mounted for reciprocation in cylinder 45 and is secured to one end of a piston rod 49 which projects upwardly through a stufIin-g 'box 50' in upper cylinder head 46. The upper end of piston rod 49 is suitably secured to crosshead 17 which is rigidly secured to lift sleeves 16 whereby reciprocation of piston 48 will serve to raise and lower the table frame as may be required in operation of the device to be subsequently described. Pressure fluid supply and exhaust passages 51 and 52 are provided in upper and lower cylinder heads 46 and 47, respectively, and are connected to conduits 53 and 54, respectively. With this arrangement, pressure fluid introduced beneath piston 48 will elevate the table while pressure fluid introduced into the cylinder above the piston will lower the table. It will be understood that pressure fluid for both cylinders 25 and 45 may be supplied from a common source (not shown) through conventional control devices (not shown).

The device is operated in the following manner, reference being had particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in connection with the operation. As the device is employed tor handling two elevators, a second elevator is illustrated, designated by the letter E. It will be understood, however, that this elevator is identical in all respects with elevator E already described.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the pants are shown in a position at which the second elevator E has been employed to pick up a section of drill pipe D (and to support the latter while it is being connected into the upper end of collar C. The latter is supported on elevator E which is resting on neck N of the pipe bushing, and thereby supporting the entire length of the pipe string which is in the well. At this stage, it is necessary to remove elevator E in order to allow the pipe string to be lowered for a distance corresponding to the added pipe section D Table member 22 will be moved forwardly by introduction of pressure fluid through conduit 41 into cylinder 25 until the bifurcated portion of table member 22 passes about neck N beneath elevator E. Thereupon, piston 48 will be actuated to elevate the table member until the table member comes up against the bottom of flange J and pins 66 are received in openings 0, thereby locking elevator E to the table member. A slight upward lift be taken on elevator B through links L by the hoisting mechanism of the derrick to lift the pipe string, thereby freeing elevator E. Gate G will now be opened and piston 34 actuated to retract table member 22, which will thereby move elevator E away from the wellhead, as seen in FIG. 2. At the same time, the hoisting mechanism will lower the pipe string until elevator E is, in turn, seated on neck N of the pipe bushing, thereby lowering the newly added section D into the well. When elevator E is thus positioned on neck N of the pipe bushing, links L will be transferred to elevator E, :as seen in FIG. 3, and through operation of the hoisting mechanism, this elevator will be removed from table member 22 and coupled to another section of the drill pipe which will then be hoisted into the derrick in position to be connected to the upper end of the collar C carried by the upper end of pipe section D and seated on the upper end of elevator E whereupon the previously described operations will be repeated for lowering the newly added section of the pipe into the well. When elevator E is thus picked up by the links, table member 22 may be lowered by operation of piston 48 in order that the arms 23 of the table member will be positioned below the lower end of elevator E preparatory to repeating the movements previously described for engaging the elevator. The described sequence of operations will be repeated until all of the pipe has been run into the well.

To remove pipe string from the well, the described sequence of operations is reversed, as will be obvious, the sections of the pipe string being successively removed and the elevators moving to and from the well head, as required, the elevators being alternately positioned to support the pipe in the well while the removed portions are handled alternately by the elevators not engaged in supporting the pipe string in the well.

It will be seen that by means of the transfer mechanism described, two elevators may be handled very rapidly and efiiciently in effecting the insertion and removal of long and heavy pipe strings in the well. By means of the transfer device, handling of the dual elevator system is effected with a maximum degree of safety for the operators and without damage to the pipe.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the details of the illustrative embodiments within the scope of the appended claims, but without departing [from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A transfer platform for drill pipe elevators, comprising, a base member, a horizontally disposed guide frame above the base member, support means including vertically reciprocable members connecting the guide frame to the base member operable to raise and lower the guide frame, or horizontally disposed table member slidably mounted on the guide frame for movement longitudinally thereof for receiving a pipe elevator, and means for reciprocating said table member.

2. A transfer platform for drill pipe elevators, comprising, a base member, a horizontally disposed guide frame positioned above the base member, support means including vertically reciprocable members connecting the guide frame to the base member operable by fluid pressure to raise and lower the guide frame, a horizontally disposed table member slidably mounted on the guide frame :for movement longitudinally thereof for receiving a pipe elevator, and fluid pressure means for reciprocating said table member.

3. A transfer platform for drill pipe elevators according to claim 2 wherein said table member carries means for securing thereto a pipe elevator received thereon.

4. A transfer platform for drill pipe according to claim 3 wherein said last-mentioned means comprises a pair of laterally spaced upwardly projecting anchor pins and an upwardly projecting guide flange extending transversely of the table member rearwardly of said anchor pins and adjacent thereto.

5. A transfer platform for drill pipe elevators, comprising, a base member, a horizontally disposed guide frame above the base member, said guide frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced parallel guide bars, a pair of upright support members connecting the base member to the guide bars, said support members comprising a pair of laterally spaced upwardly extending posts mounted on the base member, a pair of sleeve members telescopically receiving said posts and having their upper ends secured to the respective guide bars, poweroperated means mounted on the base member and connected to the sleeve members to raise and lower said guide frame, a horizontally disposed table member slidably mounted on the guide frame for movement longitudinally thereof for receiving a pipe elevator, and poweroperated means mounted on said guide frame for reciprocating said table member.

6. A transfer platform for drill pipe elevators according to claim 5 wherein each of said power-operated means includes a cylinder, a piston reciprocable in the cylinder and means for supplying pressure fluid to the cylinder for actuating the piston.

7. A transfer platform for drill pipe elevators according to claim 5 wherein said table member comprises a generally fiat plate-like portion having a bifurcated forward end portion, and a pair of journal sleeves secured to the opposite sides of said plate-like portion for slidably receiving said guide bars.

8. A transfer platform for drill pipe elevators, comprising, a base member, a horizontally disposed guide frame above the base member, said guide frame comprising a pair of laterally spaced parallel guide bars, a pair of laterally spaced support members connecting the base member to the respective guide bars, each of said support members comprising an upwardly extending post mounted on the base member and a sleeve member telescopically receiving said post and having its upper end secured to one of the guide bars, a cross-head member connecting said sleeve members, a cylinder vertically mounted on the base member between said support members, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder and operab-ly connected to said cross-head whereby actuation of the piston will reciprocate said sleeve members to raise and loWer said guide frame, fluid pressure supply means communicating with said cylinder for actuating the piston, a horizontally disposed table member mounted on the guide frame for movement longitudinally thereof for receiving a pipe elevator, a second cylinder horizontally mounted on the guide frame, a second piston reciprocable in said second cylinder and connected to said table member whereby actuation of said second piston will reciproc-ate said table member, and fluid pressure supply means communicating with said second cylinder for actuating said second piston.

9. A transfer platform for drill pipe elevators according to claim 8, wherein said table member carries means for securing thereto a pipe elevator received thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A TRANSFER PLATFORM FOR DRILL PIPE ELEVATORS, COMPRISING, A BASE MEMBER, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED GUIDE FRAME ABOVE THE BASE MEMBER, SUPPORT MEANS INCLUDING VERTICALLY RECIPROCABLE MEMBERS CONNECTING THE GUIDE FRAME TO THE BASE MEMBER OPERABLE TO RAISE AND LOWER THE GUIDE FRAME, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED TABLE MEMBER SLIDABLY MOUNTD ON THE GUIDE FRAME FOR MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF FOR RECEIVING A PIPE ELEVATOR, AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID TABLE MEMBER. 